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Event to run June 21 on virtual platform.

The Banff World Media Festival (Banff) will host its first International Indigenous Screen Industry Summit next month featuring panels on the future of broadcasting and global opportunities for content creators.

Hosted on the festival’s virtual platform, the Summit takes place on Canada’s National Indigenous Peoples Day celebrating the heritage, cultures and achievements of the First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples.

The day-long programme was created under the guidance of a dedicated advisory board and includes a masterclass conversation with the stars and creative team on FX’s Reservation Dogs (pictured), the...

The Red Nation Film Festival has announced the winners of the 2020 Red Nation Film Festival Awards, and Loretta Todd’s “Monkey Beach” swept with Best Picture, Lead Actress, Lead Actor and Best Director.

The festival, which pivoted to virtual this year due to the coronavirus pandemic, also handed out prizes to “Gather” in the Best Documentary race and “Blackwater” in the animated short race.

Festival director and curator Joanelle Romero said, “Thank you to everyone who joined us at this year’s 25th Rnci Red Nation Awards presented by Red Nation Television Network and Red Nation Celebration Institute. With attendees and filmmakers across the United States and around the world, we came to you virtually, from everywhere, we reached Indigenous nations globally. The success of the festival this year was beyond anything we’ve experienced in previous years. The challenge now is making the impossible possible, in hiring Native talent...

Now in its 25th year, the Red Nation Film Festival looks to shine a light on the voices, stories, contributions and assets of contemporary Native peoples in replacing dangerous stereotypes that Native peoples face in media and academia.

Festival curator Joanelle Romero says, “I have created a 25-year history of cohesive research-informed strategies, ground-breaking initiatives, though cinematic excellence, media and strong focus on partnerships.”

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the festival will be held virtually through the month of November, tying into Native American Heritage Month.

The festival will screen 105 films, 73 documentaries, 35 films directed by women, 12 student films and 10 experimental films.

Romero says, “I love Indigenous independent films, it’s a lens into life stories that we the people don’t usually do not get to experience. Their courage and insight to tell their perspective is of utmost importance in creating systemic change through film.”

She adds, “As a curator...

Loretta Todd has been making documentaries for three decades but in 2020, she's opening another chapter in her filmmaking career: feature film director.

Monkey Beach is an adaptation of Eden Robinson's acclaimed book about a young woman named Lisa, the mesmerizing Grace Dove, who returns home to Kitamaat to save her brother who she believes is about to suffer a tragic fate.

A mix of magical realism and an exploration of Aboriginal traditions, Monkey Beach is the kind of film that captures a culture in a way only an insider can, bringing to life a beloved novel and introducing the material to an entire new audience.

Like so many independent productions, the movie's journey to the screen was long and arduous but Todd's pe...

Monkey Beach, a supernatural thriller by writer-director Loretta Todd and starring Suicide Squad star Adam Beach and Grace Dove, is set to open a pandemic-era Vancouver Film Festival.

The Canadian indie, receiving a world premiere, has Dove playing a young woman with powers that foretell death and who faces the disappearance at sea of her brother, a potential Olympic swimmer.

Other indie films booked into Vancouver include Thomas Vinterberg’s Another Round, Viggo Mortensen’s Falling, Francois Ozon’s Summer of 85 and Tracey Deer’s Beans. On Thursday, Vancouver festival organizers unveiled plans for a 14-day mainly digital festival.

Only select film titles will physically screen ...

Monkey Beach, a supernatural thriller by writer-director Loretta Todd and starring Suicide Squad star Adam Beach and Grace Dove, is set to open a pandemic-era Vancouver Film Festival.

The Canadian indie, receiving a world premiere, has Dove playing a young woman with powers that foretell death and who faces the disappearance at sea of her brother, a potential Olympic swimmer.

Other indie films booked into Vancouver include Thomas Vinterberg’s Another Round, Viggo Mortensen’s Falling, Francois Ozon’s Summer of 85 and Tracey Deer’s Beans. On Thursday, Vancouver festival organizers unveiled plans for a 14-day mainly digital festival.

Only select film titles will physically screen ...

Suicide Squad star Adam Beach and Grace Dove (The Revenant) have landed on Monkey Beach, a supernatural thriller by writer-director Loretta Todd.

The Canadian indie, which is shooting in the indigenous settlement of Kitamaat and Vancouver, is based on Eden Robinson’s novel of the same name. Dove, who also stars in Netflix's How It Ends, plays Lisa Hill, a young woman with powers that foretell death who faces the disappearance at sea of her brother, a potential Olympic swimmer. Beach plays Uncle Mick.

Nathaniel Arcand, Stefany Mathias, Glen Gould, Joel Oulette and Tina Marie Lameman round out the cast.

The co-production ...

Suicide Squad star Adam Beach and Grace Dove (The Revenant) have landed on Monkey Beach, a supernatural thriller by writer-director Loretta Todd.

The Canadian indie, which is shooting in the indigenous settlement of Kitamaat and Vancouver, is based on Eden Robinson’s novel of the same name. Dove, who also stars in Netflix's How It Ends, plays Lisa Hill, a young woman with powers that foretell death who faces the disappearance at sea of her brother, a potential Olympic swimmer. Beach plays Uncle Mick.

Nathaniel Arcand, Stefany Mathias, Glen Gould, Joel Oulette and Tina Marie Lameman round out the cast.

The co-production ...

Subjects range from prison inmate story to supernatural tale.

Telefilm Canada said on Thursday (July 5) it is investing more Cad $3m (Usd 2.2m) in four Indigenous feature films with directors, writers and producers from seven Indigenous nations.

“Telefilm Canada is committed to supporting creative storytelling that puts diversity at the forefront as we work to achieve a financing portfolio that better represents Canada,” said Jean-Claude Mahé, acting executive director of Telefilm Canada.

“As part of our commitment to the Indigenous community, not only have we increased our financial commitment but have also put into place a jury-led decision-making process, facilitated...